ACEP Wellness Section Spotlight: How Burnout Drove Dr. Savitzky to Lead Real Change

In an ACEP Young Physician Section spotlight, Dr. Diana Savitzky—Chair of ACEP’s Wellness Section—shares how her own burnout experience sparked a mission to move wellness beyond self-care and into systemic reform, workplace redesign, and legislative advocacy.

What does “wellness” really mean in emergency medicine?

For Dr. Diana Savitzky, it’s more than yoga classes and smoothie stations. In this ACEP Young Physician Section (YPS) feature, Dr. Savitzky explains how personal burnout became a catalyst for reshaping physician well‑being from the ground up—through policy, culture, and the daily realities of ED work.

The true meaning of professional well‑being

Dr. Savitzky reframes wellness as the ability to do meaningful work in a safe, supportive, and sustainable environment. It’s a systems question: staffing, schedules, psychological safety, and leadership behaviors—not just individual resilience.

The “Pebbles in the Shoe” project

Small, solvable friction points add up. The “Pebbles in the Shoe” approach identifies everyday obstacles—workarounds, redundant clicks, unclear protocols—and removes them to reclaim time and reduce cognitive load across the ED team.

Building a better ED culture

• Culture change is practical and measurable:
• Clear communication norms and rapid feedback loops
• Safer scheduling and workload balance
• Team-based problem solving that includes nurses, techs, and physicians
• Recognition programs that reward improvement, not just endurance

Policy in action: Lorna Breen Act & credentialing reform

Well‑being also lives in statehouses and boardrooms. Dr. Savitzky discusses updates around the Lorna Breen Act and efforts to modernize credentialing questions so physicians can seek help without fear of stigma or career harm.

Why new attendings should get involved now

Your voice matters early. Join ACEP’s Wellness Section, plug into YPS, and contribute to projects that make your ED safer and more sustainable—for you and for patients.

“Join the movement from resilience to revolution—because thriving physicians build stronger care.”

Watch the spotlight to hear Dr. Savitzky’s practical playbook for change—and bring one idea back to your next shift.